RE: Pruning Echium candicans (E. fastuosum): update

Same thing happened to one of my Echiums last year. At the time I thought of some weird disease or lack of irrigation, but they realy seem not to tolerate hard pruning.

Alexandre Leonardo
Southern Portugal

From: ottways@eircom.net
To: medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Pruning Echium candicans (E. fastuosum): update
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2003 02:10:35 +0000

Hi,
 
As there seems to be a bit of an Echium thread at the moment, I thought that I would give you an update on how my severely pruned Echium candicans is doing.
 
Bad news - it is 100% dead, absolutely dead, completely dead.
 
You may recall that what gave me reason to hope it would take a severe pruning was the presence of quite a lot of breaking buds way back on the old wood. After pruning these opened out and many more buds appeared. In all I guess there must have been in excess of one hundred swelling or opening buds. I was feeling very pleased with myself (smug?).
 
Then, over perhaps a three day period about a month after pruning, all the buds withered and died. No new buds have since appeared and I am sure that the plant is quite dead.
 
My working theory is that the roots require a reasonable leaf canopy to keep them functioning adequately, in contrast to other woody plants which can be safely hard-pruned.
 
I ignored the advice of this forum and a price has been paid!!
 
Fortunately the three cuttings I took from the prunings have all rooted and are growing away healthily.
 
Next time I promise I will listen!
 
Ciao
BrianO

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